The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-23

WITH such asword arm. his wrist
was like steel, aud when engaged In q
combat be appeared to me more like
fsDd than human being. His great
broad chest would hesve, his nostrils
would expand, and his eyes glitter
with q most devilish light when en-.
gagged In q contest, for he hated
Mexican, and delighted In
seeing their blood upon his weapon.
swell, he conquered several OF their
best sw ordsmen, and the whole coun.
try was talking Of his prowees. They
called him devil, and many a cav
Mexican youth would have given his
entire fortune to have been able to
run u sword through his heart, for the
besuiiful senc ritas Of Gu sns ra,o were
smitten with Toms handsome figure,
AID to please their lovers IL bacame
fashionable for them to promise their
hand az coon Us the lover thould quo
coed in winning q victory from Tom. In
this way 1t came about that Almost
every gay youth in the city cordially
disliked Tom, and they hated me be.
csuse was an American, and, il | do
say 1t myself, could handle q sword
about as well as any Of them. Things
were getting warm. and 10 cap the
climax / found favor in the dark eyes
OF rosy tipped beauty, and two or
three yellow.skinned youngsters who
had In vain sought her smiles put up
a job to shut out my light.
"fom got wind OF the sfiair, and
forewsrn, d is iorearmed. We were to
attend grand festival given by one
OF the nsbobs OF the State, whose resi-
dence aud beautiful grounds we're 10
the oulsk!' Is oil the city. This was the
occasion which WIS to be taken ad.
vantage Of by four young gress rs to
forever settle my chances with tbs
sweetest little Mexican girl / ever saw.
Well, We vent 10 the iete, ana / was
30 taken up with the fascinating 80.
norila that ! forgot about the scheme
on my life; bur, thanks to ever Wig.
liant Tom, he was cogn zant OF every
move made by the ENEMY. OF course
he vas the great ION of the occasion,
bat a. everybody thought he was q
NJ xican II was ali righl.
40 mske long story short, the
four conspirators set upon me In a lii.
tie grove mar the house. The moon
WIS shining through the branches OF
the trees, and, tave for the shadows,
II was light as day. i was taken by
surprise, aud never thought Of q
sword; but banged the fellow pelt
IN the jaws with my d {, and | la d
him out. The others we're making at
me with drawn swords, when
Tom jumped in and took
up the fight. TAX about
sword play. / don't pslieve there was
ever another battle like 1t. Toms cuts,
thrusts and parties we're 80 rapid that
II looked as though he was using @
dozen swords Not word was spoken,
and stood there Ike u Jay watching
the hght. / bupppfe / chou d have
come TO my senses had Tom been get.
ting the worst OF IL; but, as IL was,
never moved until three Mexicans
we're stretched on the grass The Eel.
low that knocked down had disap.
Jeared.
That was q sword contest that WAS a
contest. Though 1t want In the reg.
ular order for q stake, IL would have
cost Us our lives had Tom lost. Az Il
was, We made dead sneak out OF III .
city that night, and got back to the
CITY Of Mexico a. fast Nc We could. |
would never have been there II We
rad remained to eco the result Of the
fight
"Well, Tom cleaned out all the best
swordsmen In the country, and when
he returned to tho States he brought
Spanish wife With him. / hear from
him occasionally now. lie taught
fencing for time In New York, and
is nov teaching young ssplrants the
use VI his iavorlte weapon la q city
not lar from Chicago under an ss.
uned name. He Is an old man now
but q most remarkable one, and
you'd put up large rack OF dust that
II he should enter into q contest he
cou d best any swordsman In Americs
today. He can give any OF them
pointers on their badness. You
couldn't gel him into = iste, though
he's 100 doe strung for that"